Sweets of the Holiday Season

Ah, the sweets of the season! Just now, Om Mama reviewed the assortment of desserts and pies on hand for our Thanksgiving dinner, and we, somewhat sheepishly, arrived at the conclusion that we went a little overboard. We're clocking in at nearly a pie a person (yikes!).

Do I see the irony of outing my family's sugary excess in a corner of the blogosphere that prides itself on living a balanced lifestyle, characterized by health and moderation? Yes. Yes, I do. Yet, above all, OmGal.com aims to be authentic (even when it means unintentionally invoking the ire of a militant vegan by posting a pancake recipe featuring cottage cheese or copping to a sugar addiction of my own). Candidly speaking, I'd be doing us all a disservice if I wrote a post on Thanksgiving that encouraged everyone to skip the pie and have some wheat grass juice instead. I might be a health nut, but at least I'm a realistic health nut.

To my readers*, I say, "Let them eat pie!" Do keep an eye on moderation, though, by considering the following:

Choosing wisely- A successful approach to wellness is comprised of lots of small, sensible choices, culminating in a healthier overall strategy. For example, taking the stairs rather than the elevator, hitting the gym rather than the couch, and drinking water instead of soda. Dessert is no different. Choose whole wheat crust for your pie; substitute apple sauce for butter in your pumpkin bread recipe; opt for the fruity desserts over richer ones. These tiny tweaks of your Turkey Day menu will ensure that you don't feel like a stuffed bird by sundown.

Sizing up your portions- If you simply can't limit yourself to one dessert, streamline the portion size of the two (or three, or four) desserts that you can't resist trying.

Nipping frequency- Listen carefully: It's not physically possible to become unhealthy or fat in a single day. However, you can lose your healthy habits over the holidays through continued excess. In other words, leave the leftovers behind. You should savor Mom's pecan pie today, but you do not need to eat it for breakfast tomorrow . . . and the next day . . . and . . .

As a self-proclaimed sweet tooth (or, in my case, "molar"), I find it helpful to identify sweet, seasonal choices that feel special but won't derail your healthy path if enjoyed on a regular basis. I am positively smitten with pomegranates and clementines right now because they're in season and delectably sweet. Coupled with my latest, on-the-go snack of choice, goji berries, I feel as though my penchant for sweets is sated, without running the risk of not fitting into my favorite, new lycra leggings (you know, the new frilly ones at lululemon).

*In the spirit of Thanksgiving: I am insanely thankful to all of you for your continued readership, feedback via emails to rebecca@omgal.com and comments on the site, and support on Facebook and Twitter. Many blessings to you and yours today.